The Princess Of The Water Nebula
by Jadams9804
Summary: Complete! A prequel to Broken Hearts Still Beat. The Doctor and his young assistant Pranis assist with trade treaty negotiations for the beautiful Water Nebula. A young princess, trolls, and a large beast named Snowflake make his life challenging.
1. Casablanca

The Princess of the Water Nebula

A/N: I don't own anything about Doctor Who. Nothing. Zero. Zilch.

Pranis and the Princess, on the other hand, is 100% my fantasy imagination.

**The Princess of the Water Nebula**

For Pkarma42 - Thank you for all of your comments and reviews.

**Chapter 1: Casablanca**

The Doctor walked through the doors of the pub, looking for his contact. He had an appointment to meet a young man named Pranis, whom he promised the Shadow Proclamation he would bring with him to a treaty negotiation.

He paused, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light. It was the type of pub that you saw in almost every civilization. Dark, gritty and smelly. His nose crinkled up in distaste. Why did they always stink?

He started walking through, noting the groups of beings dotting the room. Not all of them were humanoid, but he was used to seeing antennae and webbing on creatures that were smoking, drinking and conversing. Skin was optional to life forms that had intelligence, although the definition itself was subject to interpretation.

At the bar sat a lone man that from the back seemed promising to the description that the Doctor was looking for. Even sitting, the man appeared tall, with dark skin and long braided hair trailing down his back. His back was wide, the muscles underneath the shirt pulling the fabric taut.

The Doctor approached cautiously in case he was mistaken. As he reached his target, the man abruptly swung around in his chair, confronting the Doctor and stopping him from coming any closer.

"I'm hoping you're Pranis," the Doctor said.

"And you're the Doctor." Pranis stood up and held out his hand.

The Doctor went to take his hand, by Pranis bypassed it and grabbed his forearm instead, grasping it firmly. Being used to diverse customs, he held up his other hand.

"I'm not used to this greeting. Please show me how to properly respond."

Pranis grabbed the Doctor's other hand and placed it on his own forearm so each of them, instead of shaking hands, were grasping each other's forearms in firm grips.

"There – you've already taught me something" the Doctor's grin covered his entire face.

"Sit awhile if there's time" Pranis said.

The Doctor looked around a bit, and made up his mind that there was no apparent risk in lingering. "The Shadow Proclamation liaison office said that you requested to come on this treaty negotiation mission. Why?" He asked Pranis conversationally.

"I come from Parakemble and my mother feels it's important that I get an education in diplomacy and negotiation skills. My mother is usually right, so I followed her advice."

"Your mother? What did your uh – wife – girlfriend – mate - think?" The Doctor floundered a bit, not knowing which word fit.

Pranis chuckled a rich, deep baritone eruption. "None of the above, thank you! I've been in universities and schools all of my life and now that I'm done I want to stretch about a bit before I get shackled! You know what I mean? What about you? Any wife – girlfriend – mate hanging about?"

He witnessed for the first time the Doctor looking over his head, as if he saw something that was there only for his benefit. His eyes lost their sparkle, and his entire bearing seemed – less as he answered.

"There was. Rose. I lost her recently. She was" – here he fumbled for a word.

"Beautiful?" Pranis interjected, trying to be helpful.

The Doctor made eye contact with Pranis, who saw the cloud disappear and the sparkle come back. "Well, of course she was beautiful! Why bother if she wasn't?" He answered.

"So, your mother wants you to get an education and the Shadow Proclamation thinks that I can provide it. This is going to be interesting!" The Doctor's voice was jovial, as if the prior topic had never happened.

"Where are we going?" Pranis asked.

"A place called the Water Nebula. It's a group of galaxies that merged resources and sciences and co-exist very peacefully."

"Then why do they need treaty negotiations?"

"They've decided to branch out to a new group of planets that have recently made contact with them. This group, called the Chrysoberyl Cluster, wishes to trade raw resources for science. The Chancellors of the Water Nebula want everything to be legal and moral, and have asked for outside help."

"Doctor, how did you get involved?"

"A moment of weakness. A friend of mine, Capt Jack Harkness, was in contact with the Shadow Proclamation, and they asked him to recommend someone. He and I had just gone through some pretty tense negotiations ourselves to save a group of planets, and he thought this would be a light task to keep me busy and out of his way."

"He asked, flashed his puppy dog eyes, whined a bit about everything he'd done for me, and I felt just guilty enough that I said yes." The Doctor concluded his story while reaching for his inner pocket, and with a flourish produced glasses, which he perched on his face. He also pulled out a pen like device and peered at it, pressing buttons while it flashed colorful lights.

"We need to leave now if we want to keep the schedule that I've committed to."

Pranis nodded, and reached for his gear that was stowed by his feet.


	2. The Princess

**Chapter 2: The Princess**

The journey to the Water Nebula was made quickly in the Doctor's efficient Tardis. The ship was comfortable and Pranis soon learned his part in the navigation and upkeep of the machinery.

"This is it, Pranis. Watch the monitor – the Water Nebula's beauty is seen from a distance." The Doctor had been in his teacher/mentor role for the trip, enjoying tremendously the distraction that showing Pranis the wonders of the Tardis had been.

During the couple of days that they had traveled, the two had shared stories and meals and even a bit of a philosophy debate while drinking a beverage from a bottle of some very potent drink that Pranis had brought. It was called wick nectar, and it was made on his planet from fermenting some of the grain that grew abundantly in the warm months.

The Doctor quickly discovered that wick nectar was to be handled very gingerly. Pranis had brought several small bottles with him and between them, they had barely put a dent in the first bottle before Pranis was snoring at the table and the Doctor was passed out UNDER the table.

They decided the next day that the philosophy debate was a tie and the Doctor took the opened bottle of wick nectar and put it in the lab with the other poisons that were stored aboard the Tardis.

The Doctor spent quiet time going over treaty negotiation diplomacy skills with the young man and giving instruction on the role that he wanted Pranis to play.

Pranis in turn showed the Doctor his own skills of combat and defense, impressing the Doctor with his strength and speed.

"Hopefully we won't need it but if there's a fight, I'm standing behind you!" The Doctor said from his back, looking up at Pranis. He had just been knocked off his feet with a sweep of the man's powerful legs that happened faster than could be processed.

Pranis held out a hand, helping the Doctor up off the floor. "If you're not a fighter then you must be a lover" Pranis teased, turning to head for the showers. "Your turn to cook, don't forget!" He called out his parting shot.

The last comment wasn't heard. The Doctor was lost again, staring at that spot that was always in front of him projecting his memories onto a make believe stage that only he could see. A lover. Something that he never got to be with Rose. He felt a pressure on his chest and a lump in his throat grow with the memory.

She was so beautiful! He remembered her eyes staring up into his as he held her in a moment of quiet, looking down at her and feeling loved. Rose loved him and he reveled in it. Her love made him a better man because he wanted to live up to the adoration that he saw in her eyes.

The pain that was left in her place at times stripped him of coherent thought. He felt the familiar anger swell in him and closed his eyes, deliberately steadying his breath and squashing it all down. No memories, no anger, no pain. Keep to that and he can get through another day.

A beeping in the control room dragged his attention away from his internal struggles and back into the reality around him. It was the alarm that they were approaching their destination.

"Hey Pranis! I'm not cooking – we're just in time to crash dinner!" His humor restored, he made preparations to land.

…………………………………………………………………..

The group of Chancellors sent an emissary to meet the Tardis, and she was waiting for them as they exited the ship. She was taller even than Pranis, and her skin was a bright, deep blue.

She approached the Doctor and bent down, pressing her lips to his in a kiss that left the Doctor speechless.

She spoke with a melodic voice, and the Doctor could swear that her eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Welcome!" The woman introduced herself as Chalandra Auromarinase Debelial Altase Lamentas. "You two don't talk much, do you?"

The Doctor and Pranis stood frozen, their mouths open at the random action.

"Is all of that your name?" Pranis asked.

"Oh, that plus a title or two."

"Do you have a nickname?" The Doctor asked.

"You can call me Princess" Chalandra replied.

"Right." The Doctor whispered under his breath.

They were ushered into the transport, and arrived at the ministry a short time later. The two men were quiet in the car, as Chalandra kept up a non stop monologue of tidbits of information about the buildings they passed, the Chancellors and the ministry.

The ministry welcomed them with its silence as Chalandra left them in the entryway. They were soon greeted by a tall man rushing towards them, his hand outstretched in welcome.

"You're early! We weren't expecting you until much later, but no matter! I'm so happy to see you here, Doctor – the Shadow Proclamation has spoken very highly of your abilities. I'm Chancellor Shue, and I'll be your liaison with the ministry and the other Chancellors during your trip." He bowed low, presenting the top of his blue head.

"Thank you, Chancellor Shue. May I present Pranis of Parakemble? He is here to assist me, as well."

"I've never met anyone from Parakemble before, but I've heard of your people!" Chancellor Shue looked about him, then added in a low voice "you don't have any wick nectar to trade, do you?"

"My mother insisted that I bring some with me," Pranis replied.

"Lovely!" The Chancellor rubbed his hands together. We'll have to see what you will accept in trade then! Bowing again, he gestured with his arm to follow him through the doors.

They soon found themselves in the ministry, being introduced to the other Chancellors and the representatives of the Chrysoberyl Cluster. After a short period with refreshments offered, Chancellor Shue collected Pranis and the Doctor to show them to their rooms.

"Dinner will be in one hour. I'll come for you to lead you down, yes?" He offered.

……………………………………………………………….

"So far so good!" Pranis exclaimed.

"What? Oh, yeah – you haven't caused any interstellar wars yet." The Doctor replied, distracted.

"Oh, give me a little credit! I'm not THAT naïve!"

Ignoring the statement, the Doctor went on "I know better than to let my guard down, but I have to admit that both parties seem very willing to negotiate this trade treaty. I don't anticipate any kind of trouble. The representatives of the Chrysoberyl Cluster seemed extremely amicable."

"Do you think it will be smooth then?" Pranis asked.

"Just a boring old contract negotiation!" The Doctor exclaimed. "Let's get ready for dinner."

………………………………………………………………..

Chancellor Shue came for them and escorted them into the dining room. People were gathered about, drink glasses in their hands, wearing fine robes and chatting softly. Both sides were socializing easily.

The Doctor and Pranis made their way through the room, being stopped from time to time in welcome and pleasantries. As they were approaching the head table where they were being lead to, a flourish of music was heard and a loud voice proclaimed:

"Princess Chalandra Auromarinase Debelial Altase Lamentas of the Water Nebula."

She walked in, her blue head adorned with a crown and her robes fluttering behind her. Her hand was on the Prime Chancellor's arm, and she gracefully nodded to either side before making her way to the head table, pausing when she reached the two guests.

The Doctor and Pranis looked at each other, and the Doctor said under his breath "Not one word, Pranis. Pretend that you're just now meeting her."

Pranis nodded in understanding.

"Doctor, we're very honored that you have come to negotiate our treaty," the Princess said in her melodious voice.

"The honor is ours, Princess."

Chancellor Shue was seated between the Doctor and Pranis for dinner. He leaned over and said quietly to the Doctor "our Princess won't come into her full power in the senate until she reaches her majority in five years. Until then, she attends state dinners and senate sessions to learn the mechanisms of our government."

"She's young then? I'm not familiar with the aging process of your people." The Doctor responded diplomatically.

"She's the equivalent of a teenager for you."

Pranis interjected softly, "that explains a lot."

The Doctor winked at him in understanding and sat back to enjoy his dinner.


	3. The Treaty

**Chapter 3: The Treaty**

The negotiations for the treaty were actually a non-event. Both sides were professional and had already discussed it with their respective governments, and the major points were all agreed on up front. The only items needing to be discussed were logistical, and boring.

Still, the Doctor and Pranis enjoyed the tours of the ministry ship that the negotiation team from the Chrysoberyl Cluster arrived in, and the discussions of the types of ore that they wanted to trade with the Water Nebula.

The Chrysoberyl Cluster would benefit tremendously from the technology and scientific knowledge that they would gain from the trade, and the Water Nebula was excited at the prospect of being able to add the crystals that they would receive in exchange for the information.

The Chrysoberyl Cluster had a crystal that was the hardest known substance in existence. When used in lasers, it increases the strength and accuracy to tremendous levels.

The trade association of the Water Nebula wanted this crystal to improve their chances in colonizing a moon that was perfect except for the location of the water, which was below a layer of stone that up to now had proved to be impenetrable by their current mining technology. Using the crystal in their current mining mechanism, the success of breaking through to the water and successfully setting up the environment for colonization had a much better chance.

In return, the Chrysoberyl Cluster needed the scientific knowledge to combat geological shifts that several of their planets had suffered as the result of a catastrophic collapse of one of their suns. The planets had a change in orbit and the residents of the planets were bravely trying to adapt to the new weather and moon cycles. Some of the planets though, were heading towards collapse themselves unless they could find a way to restore a healthy orbit. The Water Nebula had the technology that would make it possible.

The Doctor excused Pranis from the logistics meetings so that he could roam about and soak up the culture that the Water Nebula displayed.

Wandering about, Pranis found himself in a bar, not unlike the one that he had met the Doctor in several days ago. Using the card that Chancellor Shue had given him when he arrived, he ordered a drink and sat in the corner, observing the scene unfolding in front of him.

Several females were being chatted up by some men, the only difference between this scene and one on Parakemble was the bright blue hues of their skin.

The flirting was the same, the laughter was the same and the body language was – almost – the same. He found himself smiling as two of them paired off, walking through the doors into the brightness of the day.

The young man reflected on the differences and the similarities between his people and the blue skinned residents of the Water Nebula. He came from a privileged background on his planet, as his father was Lead Elder.

The palace that he lived in was breathtakingly beautiful and he was surrounded by parents who loved him and peers that respected him. Here, though, no one knew who he was and he enjoyed his anonymity.

A couple of newcomers joined him at the bar. They were not blue skinned, nor did they look like the people from the Chrysoberyl Cluster. These men were much smaller than Pranis or even the Doctor was, and their long stringy hair was worn loose, partially covering their faces.

They had quite a bit of gear with them, several backpacks each that they stowed at their feet prior to climbing up on the stools. Their short stature did not lend to a graceful climb, but they settled themselves the best they could, their feet dangling down the side of the stools.

They ignored Pranis as they ordered drinks and quietly conversed. Pranis in turn gave them the same consideration and beckoned the barkeep over to him.

"Do you get many foreigners in here?" Pranis asked.

The nametag on his chest said "Fred", and he answered "Being next to the ministry like I am, yeah. I get lots of foreigners. Some even funnier looking than you are!" He answered with a jovial tone.

"I wouldn't mind working in a place like this for a bit. Just so I can get to see the different species and see how they interact" Pranis said, mostly to himself.

Fred leaned on the bar with one elbow and said in undertones to Pranis: "Wait a minute. I think you'll see some interaction real quick." He nodded towards the short men further down the bar.

Their conversation had apparently taken a bad turn. They seemed angry, and their voices had raised to whispered hisses.

One jumped off his stool, knocking it to the ground, and grabbed his backpack while storming out of the bar. At the door, he turned around, and no matter what language you spoke, the obscenity of the gesture was obvious.

The hissing and whispers were now loud enough for Pranis to be able to hear. One of the talents of the Tardis was that it would interpret foreign languages so that Pranis only heard his native tongue. It allowed himself and the Doctor to converse easily, and on this planet, no matter what tongue was spoken it posed no problem for his comprehension. But others didn't know that.

The conversation was now a full blown argument. Pranis couldn't help but hear what they were saying as their shouts had no discretion at all in them. He sat back and eavesdropped, aware that the small beings had no idea that anyone could understand them.

"I don't care how long it's going to take! I'm not willing to wait. The meeting is tonight and we're gonna do it. If he can't get his crap together by then, I have no problem with leaving him behind." The man who spoke slammed his fist down at the bar. "And another thing. I don't care who gets a whiff of the gas. I'm not here to make any friends. Our job is to kill the Chancellors and the Ministers and I'm not the one to go back and explain to the boss why I failed. Just release the gas – if it leaks into the city, I don't care. The plan stands – 8:00 it gets released. Period." The last words were punctuated with the hand again hitting the bar.

Pranis kept his eyes down in the front of him, appearing to any casual bystander to be engrossed in his drink. His mind was whirring. That night was the treaty signing ceremony. These creatures were obviously plotting a destructive end to the ceremony.

Fred came back over to Pranis, who asked "Fred, who are they? Where do they come from?"

Fred answered while polishing a glass "Tegdims from planet Cavros. They're known for being willing to do tasks that decent folks would never contemplate. Usually if they're around, trouble is as well. We call them trolls."

The 'trolls' gathered up their gear and left the bar. Pranis decided to follow, and nodded to Fred who followed with "be careful."

Pranis barely caught a glimpse of the trolls as they rounded the corner ahead of him. The young man settled into a determined gait and followed his prey.


	4. The Competition

Chapter 4: The Competition

The last of the papers were signed and everyone in the room sat back with a collective sigh. The attendants began gathering up cold tea cups and smudged water glasses and some of the more diligent secretaries started stacking papers in preparation for their exit.

"We can all be proud of the work done here today" Chancelloe Shue said, a broad smile on his face. "Tonight we'll have the official treating signing, and tomorrow the sports competition will be held at the stadium."

The Doctor looked up from his reading, his glasses perched on the edge of his nose. "Sports competition? What's that about then?" He asked curiously.

Chancellor Shue responded gleefully "Our friends of the Chrysoberyl Cluster have a custom of holding friendly competitions when gathering with other races. We've decided that in the spirit of our new treaties, that we would honor that custom and host the competition ourselves."

"What type of sports?" The Doctor asked.

"Mostly strength, speed and teamwork. There's this one that I love – the participants throw lances at a target, and it gives points depending on where it lands. The team with the most points win, but it's very exciting! Anyone can sign up for it, and a lot of the fun is watching people who have never competed before try to beat the favorites. There's a couple of dangerous contests, but everyone leaves those to the professionals."

"Doesn't sound too bad" the Doctor said, returning to his paperwork with concentration.

Everyone rapidly jumped to their feet when the doors flew open and the Princess was announced.

"Gentlemen, Others," she nodded her head gracefully "I wanted to come down myself to congratulate you on your efficiency and care in getting the trade treaties completed in such an economical time line! I've been informed of the contests of tomorrow, and have volunteered to oversee them. As is custom, I will be giving an award to the winner of the competition from myself personally. I would like to ask, however, what prize the Chrysoberyl Cluster will donate for the winner?"

One of the ministers from the cluster stepped forward, respectfully bowing to the Princess. "Madame, we have a crystal that is cut with flawless perfection. It will make a priceless piece of jewelry, and we would like to offer this for the prize." At that, he withdrew from his pocket a small box and opened it with a flourish, presenting it to the Princess.

Her face stared at the remarkably beautiful crystal. The Doctor noted with wryness that her eyes appeared to have glazed over as she ogled the stone. She may only be a teenager, but her taste was very grown up, he thought to himself.

"Perfect." Remembering her manners, she in turn bowed to the minister.

"Tonight, then, gentlemen?" Without waiting for a reply, she turned and swept out of the room.

The Doctor consulted with the business managers of the two parties while everyone else was vacating the room. Satisfied that all of the loose ends were tied up, he bid them good evening and leaned back in his chair, putting his feet on the elaborate conference table. He swirled a bit back and forth in the chair, enjoying the knowledge that his job was done and the Shadow Proclamation can leave him alone.

As often happened when his mind was allowed to slip from the disciplined grasp that he normally used to fight for control, Rose appeared before his consciousness, her smile beckoning him to let go further and join her in the echoes of his memories. He closed his eyes tight, immediately assaulted by the overwhelming emotions these moments cost him.

It was less than a year since he last saw her, on the beach at Bad Wolf Bay, embracing his double. He made a decision that he knew was the right one, and no matter how many times he re-thought it he always came to the same conclusion, but he never escaped the pain of the consequence.

In particular, he lived with the pain of never telling her he loved her. Oh, she knew – but he never said the words. In the end, he let his double say them.

And now he could see her again, for the moment joining him in his solitude as he desperately wished for the ability to visit his own past. For him, it was time locked. He couldn't go there. But how he so wished he could. He sighed, bringing himself back to the conference room and the table before him.

His eyes refocused and he began to gather up his own papers. The door to the conference room opened, and the Princess entered again, this time alone. He stood up out of respect for her position.

"Doctor. I was hoping you would still be here. I wanted to ask you for a favor."

"Princess, if it's within my power, it would be my pleasure." He answered.

"This competition tomorrow – would you tell Pranis that I want him to compete for me?"

The Doctor froze in his movements, and slowly turned his head to look the Princess in the eye. "Pranis is not my employee nor my servant. I can't TELL him to do anything."

"Will you ask him?"

"Why don't you?"

"I can't speak to him direct. It would be bad form and I would be censored."

"Yet, Princess, you speak to me direct. Why is that?"

A mischievous smile lit up her face. "Because, you're the head negotiator. Of course I'm allowed to speak to you – you're important!"

The Doctor fought down the impulse to be insulted on behalf of Pranis. "And Pranis isn't?" He responded.

"No….not really. He's only here as your assistant. Everyone knows he's no one."

"No one? You have no idea, do you? Who he is, who his father is?"

"It's not important." She waved her hand as if the gesture would dismiss the conversation. "You're the one I'm talking to, you're the one I'm asking."

"Yet it's Pranis that you want to compete for you."

"Well, he's big and strong and you're" - here her voice hesitated, as if for the first time during the conversation she stopped to consider her words. "Not" she added in a small voice.

Now the Doctor was insulted. "Size doesn't equal talent, Princess. You need to learn some negotiating skills of your own. Small men can do just as well in sports as large men."

"No, Doctor, don't be silly" the Princess said with a laugh to her voice. "Someone small like you couldn't possible compete in these contests."

"Someone small like me?" He answered in an even voice.

"Right – could you imagine?" She started laughing now at the image she held in her mind "Here are all these big men competing, and then you come forward – oh no!" She sat down, gasping for breath as her laughter overtook her.

The look on the Doctor's face would have most species quaking in their shoes. It was the same look that stopped the Vashta Nerada in their tracks. It foretold the extermination of the entire race of Racnoss in a single act perpetrated by him. And it most recently sentenced the entire race of Daleks to the void.

But to the Princess, who was oblivious to the Doctor's history and didn't know what intimidation was, the look only fed her laughter. "But Doctor, you couldn't possibly think that you could win at this type of competition!"

"I think that I would have just as good a chance as anyone else." He stated firmly.

"Ok, then. You can do it for me. I put my faith in you, Doctor, and I REALLY want that crystal!" She bounced up to him, kissing him on the cheek as he stood frozen in shock.

Still giggling, she skipped out of the room, leaving her victim standing for a very long time as he tried to figure out what just happened.

Only one thing came to mind – there was absolutely nothing wrong with the Princess's negotiation skills.


	5. The Trouble with Trolls

Chapter 5 The Trouble With Trolls

Pranis silently followed the Trolls through the alleys of the city, trying to look casual in case they glanced back. He recognized the approximate direction as one that would lead them back to the ministry.

As they moved through the narrow passages, the group was joined by others, stepping out from hidden doorways and from behind debris piles, bringing their total number to twelve and all carrying packs on their backs bulging with unknown contents.

Outnumbered and having no way to contact the Doctor, Pranis had no resources available to him except for his stealth and his acumen.

The group stopped when they came to a crossroads in the maze of alleys.

The apparent leader of the group spoke. "Everyone knows what to do. 8:00." And friends" – here he paused, making sure that he had eveyone's attention. "Try not to gas yourselves. We're not coming back for your body." There were a couple of chortles at this, and they split into smaller groups and headed out in different directions.

Pranis decided to follow the group with the leader. There were 3 of them, moving quickly through the darkening passageway. They moved in silence, intent on their deadly mission, Pranis following behind determined not to lose them.

The trolls disappeared from his view without any warning, causing him to quicken his steps to keep up.

He spotted them again between two doorways, just barely getting a glimpse of a hairy hand as it drew a metal grate over the sewage entrance that he had just vanished into.

Approaching it cautiously, Pranis paused with his head cocked to the side, listening for any sounds that may be originating from below the grate.

Not hearing anything, he repeated their actions of pulling the grate up and kneeling on the ground, quickly darting his head into the opening to do a visual inspection of the immediate area. It appeared clear, so Pranis jumped down into the sewer and quietly closed the grate above his head.

There was a surprising amount of light in the damp tunnel, coming from the grates that were overhead at regular intervals throughout. He could see the back of the trolls up ahead as they made their way to their destination.

Working very hard to ignore the squishy sound that his boots were making in the muck below his feet, Pranis kept to the shadows in between the grates and concentrated on his footing.

The group traveled in the sewage tunnel below the street for well over an hour before the trolls stopped. Hissing quietly to each other, they emptied their backpacks and began setting up their deadly equipment. He watched as a tripod was set up and a series of canisters were produced from the different backpacks and attached to it.

"Careful with those, don't let them tap each other" was heard from one of the trolls.

"We won't tell you how to set the timer – you shut up about our jobs" was hissed back.

When the canisters were set, two of them stood by and watched the third as he set what looked to Pranis like an alarm clock. Realizing that they were finishing, Pranis looked at the grate closest to his head and jumped up, knocking it off and swinging his tall body up at the same time. He heard cries of alarm from the tunnel, but was out of sight before the trolls could investigate the noise.

Pranis found himself crouched on a walkway that skirted a garden. The sun was beginning to set, and the flowers offered a perfume that was all the more sweet after the time he just spent in the sewage. He didn't have time to stop and gather any bouquets, though – he realized he was at the outer wall of the ministry, and he had to get help….fast!


	6. Kisses and Bets

Chapter 6 Kisses and Bets

The Doctor was fixing the tie on his tux, fussing with it to get it even. He hated this suit. Every time he wore it, something bad happened. He grinned, remembering someone who once suggested that maybe it wasn't the suit, maybe it was just him.

"Nah," he said out loud to his reflection. "It's the suit. Bad luck, it is. I just need to get a new one and leave this one in the closet." He turned, checking the back to make sure it was fitted properly. "Then again….this one just makes me look sooooo good!" He winked at his reflection, and after one last quick glance to make sure his hair looked as good as it could, he left his room to go meet the delegates for the treaty signing celebration.

………………………………………………………………

Pranis ran down the hall towards the rooms that he and the Doctor were housed in. Just as he approached, the Doctor stepped out, dressed smartly in his tux. Pranis pulled up just short of running him over.

"Whoa! What's this then? You have to hurry if you're going to make the ceremony!" The Doctor's cheerful voice called out. "Um….no offense…..but a quick shower maybe? On second thought….a thorough shower?" His nose crinkled as the pungent odor drifted over to him from Pranis.

"No time. Doctor, you have to come with me. The trolls – they have canisters of gas that they're going to use to stop the treaty signing. Everyone will be killed!"

The relaxed bearing of the Doctor immediately evaporated and turned into one of intensity. He started strolling down in the direction that Pranis just came from, barking questions.

"Where is this gas?"

"Down in the sewers," Pranis replied.

"That explains a lot. How do you know what they're doing?"

"I overheard them in a bar, and I followed them and watched them set it up. But I could only follow one group – there's three more somewhere."

The Doctor stopped walking for a moment, looking at Pranis with amazement on his face. "Did you really? That's incredible, do you know that? Good job, Pranis!"

"Did you hear me? There's three more groups!"

"Well, we'll just have to find them, won't we?" He responded.

They started walking again, and Pranis filled the Doctor in on the specifics of the last couple of hours. They reached the grate in the garden, and Pranis held it open for the Doctor to jump down.

"Oh….yuck! I hate cleaning these shoes!" He cried out. "Show the way!"

Pranis trotted down towards the equipment which was now emitting a small cloud of steam. The Doctor squatted next to it, reaching into his pocket and taking out his sonic screwdriver.

Speaking quietly, almost reverently, the Doctor said, "Oh, this is good. Very good. Professional, even. They knew what they were doing." He pointed his screwdriver at the tripod, and the steam immediately stopped.

"It's easy to deactivate, we're lucky for that. We'll need a clean up crew – this gas is very toxic. If it's released into the sewers, it would poison the entire city. Not to mention that it would continue to poison for the next three years or so. In fact, this stuff is illegal in most systems."

"Is it safe for now?" Pranis asked.

"For awhile, yes. Eventually it would corrode its own canisters and release itself, but there's plenty of time to arrange for its removal. Now…you said there were three more crews?"

Pranis led the Doctor back through the tunnels to the cross section below the street where the trolls had split up. They traveled much quicker than the original trip as they weren't worried about stealth and they weren't carrying any heavy packs. Still, though, there just wasn't enough time to travel in all three directions and back to deactivate all of the gas tripods.

"We need to get help." The Doctor stated. He picked his way to the nearest grate, and Pranis reached up to push it aside, giving the Doctor a leg up for his exit. They were down the street from the pub that Pranis had earlier visited.

"I know where we are," Pranis stated. "The ministry is this way." They took off at a run, the sun now a memory in the sky and the darkness was falling quickly.

"We have very little time if it's going to detonate at 8:00!" The Doctor yelled while pumping his legs as fast as he could. He thought to himself that it had been a long time since he last ran this hard, and it was going to hurt in the morning!

They reached the ministry and quickly located Chancellor Shue who raised the alarm. Within moments, security teams were being briefed by Pranis and dispatched to find the other tripods.

The Doctor and Pranis were both recovering from their desperate run through the streets. Pranis brought him a glass of water, handing it to him with a grin.

"Not too bad for a scrawny old man!" He teased.

"Scrawny old man!" He stood up and faced Pranis. "I'll have you know that I used to wear trainers every day because I did so much running!"

Pranis looked down at the ruined shoes that were on the Doctor's feet at the moment.

"Been awhile since you've wore them then, huh?"

"Cheeky devil, you are!" The Doctor's good humor was restored with the relief that the disaster was being averted.

A short while later, Chancellor Shue approached them with a broad grin on his face. "Security just confirmed – we got them. As a bonus, they apprehended the Tedgims as they were loading their transport.

"Tedgims? That's who did this?" The Doctor looked at Pranis. "You said they were trolls!"

Pranis shrugged. "Fred said they were called trolls when he told me that they always brought trouble with them. That's why I followed them to begin with!"

"Fred? Who is Fred?"

Pranis smirked sheepishly. "The bartender."

"We just went through all of this because of GOSSIP from a bartender named Fred?"

"Well, he was right, wasn't he?" Pranis defended.

The Doctor threw his head back and roared with laughter.

The Chancellor approached him, and putting a hand on one of his shoulders, whispered into the Doctor's ear.

"Please tell her highness that we will be there as soon as we can get cleaned up" he said softly to the Chancellor. Turning to Pranis, he stated "it would appear that we are requested to meet with the princess this evening."

Pranis snorted. "She wants to kiss you again. Just wait and see."

The Doctor rolled his eyes and did a perfect turn on his heel before striding out of Pranis's presence.

Pranis looked at the Chancellor. "Bet you a bottle of wick nectar?"

"You're on!" He said with excitement.


	7. Changes

Chapter 7: Changes

The Doctor never thought that clean clothes would feel so good. He was in the tunnel only a fraction of time compared to Pranis, but hoped that it would be several lifetimes before he was subjected to that again!

They had to go back to the Tardis to find another set of clean clothes, and the Doctor was dressed in his familiar day suit again. Going to the closet for a pair of shoes, his hand paused over the choices. Pushing the shoes to the side, he reached into the back and felt around a bit. Ah – there we go. He ran his hand over his beloved trainers, brushing off some dust.

He needed to start living again. He had shut himself away for the past year, still in shock at losing so many friends and loved ones in one blow.

The memories again swarmed through the tiny crack he allowed, and he sat down for a minute to visit with them.

He said goodbye to Martha, Capt. Jack, Mickey, Jackie, and Pete. And Rose – he left her there with his double. Saying goodbye to Rose destroyed one heart, but what happened to Donna destroyed the other one. To save her life, he had to erase all of her memories from the time that she knew him. And she was brilliant. She was the best friend he had ever had, and now he never existed to her.

He didn't like who he had become this past year. In trying to avoid the pain, he had closed himself off from everything. He often spent weeks alone in his Tardis, just docked somewhere in space. That wasn't healthy. Pranis inadvertently awakened something that had gone dormant within him.

He needed a happy medium. Pranis was ok – he was tough, intelligent and can drink him under the table. He would not ever again travel with a companion. But a friend…now that he could do. It would be best, though, if those friends firmly remained males. Not Capt Jack type male….but Pranis type male.

Females would be for an evening at a pub or a turn around a dance floor. No more female friends! As long as he could live with those rules, he could come out of his self imposed banishment.

With a new resolution for his life decided, he slipped his feet into his trainers, and after tying them, stood up and bounced a bit on the balls of his feet. Now he was ready to run again!

…………………………………………………………………………

He met Pranis in the control room, his long hair still damp from his shower. "Ready to go?" Pranis asked.

The Doctor nodded. "An official meeting with a real Princess. That's not something I do every day," he said.

"Oh, I have dinner with Mother all the time. She's like reigning royalty on my planet. Father is the one who holds the office of Lead Elder, but Mother is the uncrowned Queen. You would like her." Pranis chatted as they locked up the Tardis and made their way to the transport.

"What would I like about her?" he asked.

Pranis replied: "Her wisdom, her calmness, her sense of fairness. And she's a wicked card player. If Father can't be on her team, he bows out of the game altogether."

He spoke of his parents with obvious love and respect, and the Doctor had to agree – he would like Mother, he was sure. He thought, rule modification #1 – older attached women were ok. It was the young ones – like the Princess – who must be avoided at all costs! Then again….what was "older" to a 900 plus year old Time Lord? He grinned to himself, concluding with "age is a matter of perspective."

The two men were again greeted by Chancellor Shue upon their arrival, and this time were ushered into the Princess's receiving room. They stopped just inside the door, and in a synchronized gesture, both bowed deeply to acknowledge her station.

"Doctor, please, come in!" The Princess exclaimed. "Pranis, thank you for coming as well!"

She indicated places for them to sit at a long table, the Doctor in the middle and Pranis off to one end. The other participants started filing in, and the Doctor found himself jumping to his feet several times to shake hands and return greetings.

The signing ceremony was elaborate, although cut short because of the late start. After the last copy of the treaty was giving to the final participant, the Princess stood and addressed the room.

"We have been bestowed with more blessings this day than can be counted. Our very own treaty negotiator, the Doctor, and his capable assistant, Pranis, have saved us all from certain death. This treaty was not wanted by other parties, but they could not succeed in their attempt to destroy this new friendship between us."

"We owe our lives and our economy to our friends from the Shadow Proclamation, and will acknowledge the anniversary every year at tomorrow's date with a sports competition that will be held in the memory and honor of our successes of this day."

The Princess then added: "Doctor, Pranis, will you approach please?"

As the men made their way to the front of the Princess, Chancellor Shue was holding a box to her from which she removed a medal that was hooked to a bright ribbon.

"Pranis, we are bestowing upon you the highest honor that we can give to an off world visitor for valor and service. We consider you brother and know that you are welcomed here at any time."

Pranis bowed his head and the Princess slipped the ribbon over it.

"Doctor," she now turned towards the other man. "When we were told that it would be you coming here, all of us knew that we were in capable hands. Never in our wildest imaginings would we dream that you would be our hero, saving us from the hands of an enemy who sought to end our existence. Our hearts are yours and we thank you." She repeated the gesture of placing the ribbon over his head, and as he raised his face to look at her, she threw her arms around him and kissed him on the lips.

In shock, the Doctor stood there, while applause broke out around the room. Pranis met the eyes of the Chancellor, who winked at him. The Princess finally stepped back, turned, and walked out of the room, her group of attendees hurrying after her.

He looked at Pranis. "Didn't see that one coming."

Pranis laughed. "I did. Two hours ago." He turned to make his way out of the room, leaving the Doctor to try to keep up.

It was difficult, as so many people wanted to shake his hand and congratulate him. More than one of them coyly asked if he would be remaining on the planet to woo their Princess, to which he gave a diplomatic excuse for having to leave.

Chancellor Shue joined them in their rooms and Pranis brought out a bottle of wick nectar. The three men toasted the treaty and the capture of the Tedgims, and with a couple of winks and nudges, also toasted the Doctor and the Princess.

For his part, the Doctor did not participate in neither the drinking nor the toasting. He did, however, tremendously enjoy the camaraderie of the two men and acknowledging the end of a very long day.

The next morning brought an early knock on his door.

"Doctor? Doctor! I've been told to wake you up, sir. You have to come to the stadium to be briefed on today's contests. I have your competition gear with me, sir. Please, wake up!"

The Doctor shot up in his bed, remembering with horror that he had to compete. And in that very second, a jolt of pain ran through his legs, reminding him of his activity of the day before and what a year of lack of exercise would do to a man's muscles.

He groaned.


	8. This is Fun?

**Chapter 8: This is fun?**

The crowds were quickly filling up the stadium, their excited voices carrying through the air. Entrepreneurs hawked their wears, holding up flags and scarves with pictures of the participants emblazoned on them.

The Doctor looked up at a young boy who was waving a flag with his own likeness on it. "How do they do that so quickly?" He said to Pranis, indicating the flag.

Pranis called the vendor over. "Can I see one please?" He held the flag up next to the Doctor's face. Nice picture. I think it was right after the Princess kissed you last night."

The shock on the image's face was forever frozen in the moment. Pranis went to hand it back to the vendor, who told him to keep it. Grinning, Pranis tucked it into his shirt. "One day, this may come in handy."

Rolling his eyes, the Doctor turned away.

"Doctor, what exactly are you competing in today?" Pranis asked.

"An event that Chancellor Shue told me about. You have to throw lances at a giant dart board and accumulate points. Shouldn't be so bad."

"Until you fail miserably and are embarrassed by your lack of points, you mean." Pranis cheerfully stated. He was enjoying this.

The Doctor, in his mind, was just thinking how pleasant it would be to battle a Cyberman at that point rather than be tossing lances. But, keeping in the spirit of his new promises to live a fuller life, he was planning on giving it his best shot.

Other events were going on at this time, and both men stood on the sidelines enjoying the contest and cheering for the home team. One event was very similar to earth wrestling, except it was done in a gravity free sphere. The grunts from the participants were heard throughout the entire stadium.

Finally, the Doctor was called to the field, and he lined up with the other participants. He asked to go last since he didn't know what to do and wanted time to observe the others. A quick poll of the participants found no dissenting vote, and the first competitor stepped up to the starting point. He was handed an impossibly long lance, which bowed in the middle under its own weight. He threw it at the target, and the crowd cheered as it took hold and pierced the face of the board.

Each participant had three attempts, and the points of the highest two throws were tallied and entered onto the score board.

The Doctor found himself at the starting point, and a lance was handed to him. His arm buckled under the weight, and he wondered how in the world he was going to be able to throw such a heavy object. He looked over to Pranis, who was pointing to his own over developed bicep, and gave the Doctor a thumb's up. Right, the Doctor thought. Just use my brute strength.

He hoisted the lance up, and using everything he had, launched it at the target.

The lance crashed to the ground a mere couple of feet away.

The crowd erupted into laughter and the Doctor groaned. He still had to do this two more times.

Someone called a time out. The Doctor looked up to see who was extending his torture, and saw Chancellor Shue rushing over with several athletes with him. They circled him and all started in at once.

One of the men was wrapping a large, thick belt around his torso, buckling it so that it fit him snugly. He couldn't bend at the waist if he wanted to! Another was strapping similar supports to his forearms. A particularly large man, his blue skin gleaming with sweat, started talking quickly and earnestly to the Doctor.

"It's in the balance, not the strength. You have to find the balance, then just release it – but follow through with your arm, like this." He repeated the proper throwing gesture several times before stepping back.

Chancellor Shue said: "The Princess asked me to give you a message. She said that you're her champion, and she has faith in you."

Now he really wanted the ground to open up and just swallow him. The Doctor nodded at the Chancellor, unwilling to send his own message back out of fear of its political implications – you just can't say things like that to a Princess.

The referee called him back to the starting point, but now he felt like a gladiator approaching the coliseum. He copied the gestures that he had been shown, and took the time to get the lance balanced. He concentrated on the target, and gracefully pulled his arm back and released the lance – which sailed in a beautiful arc, piercing the target exactly in the middle!

He stood there, his mouth open, staring at the lance. The announcer's voice, barely coherent enough to understand what he was saying over his excited screams, called the game. The point value of the Doctor's single throw was higher than the value of the other contestant's accrued points from two throws, and he was declared the winner.

The crowd started chanting his name. He stood there for a moment, stunned, taking in the spectacle. As his hearts started beating with a normal rhythm, he looked around, his grin lighting up his face.

Pranis ran up to him, and pulling him into a bear hug, lifted him off the ground.

"Breath – can't" the Doctor gasped at his friend.

Pranis set him down, and unbuckled the gear from his friend. "I can't believe you did that! That was amazing!"

"Well, you just have to get the balance right and follow through with your arm. That's about all there is to it." The Doctor wasn't above a little humble manipulation.

The referee came up to the Doctor. "Congratulations on winning your event! The finals start after lunch. Please be in the tent then."

The Doctor turned, the smile immediately dropping from his face, and faced Pranis. "Finals?" he moaned.


	9. Bowing

**Chapter 9: Bowing**

The Doctor, panic rising in his chest, desperately searched for Chancellor Shue. It turned out that the finals was one of those "dangerous contests that are left for professionals" that the Chancellor was telling him about.

He had to ride an equine beast, similar to a huge Clydesdale horse on earth, in what amounted to a jousting match! He was going to be killed – run through with a lance that was bigger around than he was!

The Chancellor remained elusive, and the Doctor and Pranis headed towards the tent resignedly. The Doctor's mind was working in overdrive, trying to figure out how to get out of this predicament. Who ever thought that he would win that event? He shouldn't even be here! Maybe there was an obscure law that off worlders weren't allowed to compete in this?

A young boy of about 12 approached the Doctor and bowed. "Sir, I'm Joshua. I'm to get you ready for your match."

Joshua was as tall as the Doctor was, for all of his young years. His blue skin had a paleness to it that was a further indication of his youth. He led the Doctor over to a stall area and started fitting him with equipment.

"Joshua" the Doctor began. "I don't know what I'm doing. I don't think I can do this."

"Oh, sir, you have to! Everyone knows that the Princess is counting on you!" Joshua exclaimed.

The Doctor moaned, his misery beginning to bubble up despite his determination to be cheerful.

"But I'm going to be killed!"

"No, sir. No one has been killed in one of these matches for at least 3 or 4 years! You'll be fine, you'll see."

This statement did not appease the Doctor.

"Joshua, you don't understand. I-don't-know-what-to-do!" He emphasized each word with a pounding of his hand on the stall wall in frustration.

The boy sat back on his heels and looked up. "I can tell you, sir. I can tell you what to do."

The Doctor halted in his tantrum. "You can? Enough to keep me from getting killed? I mean, I can be maimed a bit – that I can recover from, anyway. And I won't mind if I just get knocked around, bruises fade quickly. But just not killed."

"I promise, sir." Joshua said solemnly.

"Well, that's ok then!" The Doctor's mood shifted wildly once again. "So, what do I do?"

"Let me get you trussed up, then I'll show you."

By the time Pranis joined the Doctor at the tent quite awhile later, Joshua had thoroughly explained to the Doctor all of the ways he may fail. The problem was, he had yet to learn any techniques that would help him survive.

"Maybe I can go last again?"

"Not this time, sir. Your position is determined by rank, and as you are unranked…." He didn't finish the sentence.

But the Doctor did. "Then I go first."

Gravely nodding, Joshua confirmed the statement.

The announcer's voice called all participants to the field. Their eyes meeting, Pranis and the Doctor nodded to each other.

"Let's do this," the Doctor said. They started walking, Joshua bringing up the rear, leading the reins of the equine beast that the Doctor would be riding. He had snorted when he had been introduced to "Snowflake". She looked like she would just assume eat him as to let him ride her.

"You know…we can make a break for it and take off in the Tardis within 10 minutes" Pranis stated seriously.

The Doctor paused in his march, turning his body towards the direction that the Tardis was parked. "That's a thought, yes. But I can't. I promised." Resigned, he resumed his advance.

His anxiety went into overdrive as he stood in a line with the other participants and waited for his name to be announced so he could bow to the crowd. The Princess was walking down the line, shaking hands and wishing the athletes luck. She paused in front of the Doctor, as he bowed.

"Doctor, that's not how you bow. Didn't anyone ever teach you?" she asked.

"Yes, but I can't move in this equipment very easily," he returned.

"Let me show you. You have to work around the leggings." She walked behind him, and placing a hand on the inside of his thighs, she pushed his legs outward a bit, then pressed down on his back, moving him into the most awkward position that he ever could imagine.

The crowd roared its approval and humor, and the Doctor returned upright, his face beet red with embarrassment and chagrin.

"Now, that's a proper bow!" She said cheerily, and, reaching down to give him a peck on his cheek, she continued on down the row.

"If I'm not killed, she's going to be," he murmured under his breath.

Pranis looked at Joshua and shrugged. "That princess of yours is trouble" he said.

"All girls are trouble" Joshua returned, his 12 year old wisdom firmly in hand.

……………………………………………………………………………

It was good that he had heavy leather gloves on, because the sweat had something to soak into. He couldn't say the same for his face, though.

He sat astride on his horse, listening to the end of the speeches and posturing from the officials. The crowd was growing restless with the heat of the day baring down on them. Inside his helmet, he knew what a baking biscuit must feel like as it's turning crispy at the edges.

Snowflake restlessly pawed at the ground, no doubt annoyed that there weren't any small people about to munch on. He felt it best that he remained in the saddle, out of reach of her gigantic mouth. He could feel her muscles moving under his legs, and despite all of the anxiety inside of him, was still able to have a moment of wonder at the magnificence of her strength and beauty. He reached over and patted her neck.

"There, there, girl. Do good, and if things work out well, I'll give you a nice young princess to chew on when we're done."

The first match was announced, and Joshua approached him, the incredibly long lance being held upright. He handed it up, and the Doctor grasped it, positioning it as Joshua had made him practice in the tent earlier. It seemed much heavier now.

He remembered what he was told earlier that day about the throwing lances – it was all in the balance. He adjusted his grip, and found the weight shifting so that it was more evenly distributed.

The gong sounded the start, and Snowflake, being well trained, knew what to do. She sprinted down the marked path, hugging the rail that separated the participants. The Doctor looked up just in time to see another contestant racing towards him, the point of his lance aimed at the Doctor's chest.

It took everything he had to stay upright on Snowflake's back as her gait threw him back and forth. Trying to balance the lance so he wouldn't drop it, he had a moment where he was thrown back against the saddle. Struggling to sit upright again, Snowflake came to a halt that was much more graceful than the takeoff.

The crowd was hysterical. It appeared to them that the Doctor evaded the oncoming lance with a deft gymnastic like move of ducking backwards while aiming his lance at his opponent. Of course, to the Doctor, he slipped.

They were set up for another go, with the point for the run being awarded to the Doctor. Figuring that it would probably be the only point he would be awarded, he was feeling better that at least it wouldn't be a shut out.

This time, he used his knees to grasp Snowflake's sides to keep his balance. His arm was feeling fatigued from the events of the day, and it was more difficult to raise the lance. He overcompensated by aiming just above his opponent's head, hoping that the body of the lance would sweep him off his horse rather than the tip knocking him off. To the Doctor, minimum impact would be preferable.

His move worked, but not in the way he thought it would. The oncoming challenger thought that the Doctor was flipping his lance around to club him with the short end, and was in the process of bringing his own lance around when the Doctor caught him in the shoulder and unseated him. The referees decided it to be a legal move.

Because the Doctor was awarded two points, he didn't have to do a third run and was able to climb off Snowflake's back to rest.

Under the elimination system, the Doctor did not have to compete again until towards the end of the day. He took off his gloves and helmet, the sweat dripping down his hair and burning his eyes.

A cold glass was pressed into his hands. Gratefully, the Doctor looked up and saw Pranis grinning down at him.

"You look like a pro out there!" He said excitedly. "You're doing great! Half of the women in the stands want to bring you home with them!"

"I just want this to be over" the Doctor groaned.


	10. The Rock and the Handkerchief

**Chapter 10: The Rock and the Handkerchief**

Sooner than he thought it would happen, the finals were announced. Unlike the earlier matches, the winners were determined with only one run.

The Doctor's shoulder was screaming with fatigue and soreness. A quick peek earlier had shown colorful bruising coming up from the pressure the heavy lance was putting on his muscles.

Snowflake had kept her poise during the break, and had surprised the Doctor when she allowed some children from the Chrysoberyl Cluster to pet her and feed her grain from their flattened palms. In fact, she seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her day on the pitch.

His first match was thrown by an opponent who was disqualified for having an illegal lance. The Doctor was informed as he was perched on Snowflake's back, preparing to enter the stadium.

"What does that mean exactly?" The Doctor inquired.

"You win your first match, sir!" Joshua answered with so much excitement that his voice squeaked.

He almost wished that he could have just gone up and got knocked off his equine beast so he could go back to the Tardis.

The first round of finals were done, and there were only four of them left. They were called again to the field to be introduced, and this time the Doctor was careful that he bowed in the prescribed manner to avoid another embarrassing lesson.

His flag was being flown by many of the onlookers in the crowd. Some were calling out his name, and every now and then a specific comment could be heard from someone telling him that they had their pay check riding on him, or that he could have their daughter if he won.

He shook his head in disbelief. He had once got to light the Olympic Torch back on earth, and had thought that was an incredible moment. He now had more respect than ever for what the athletes had to go through, and was determined to remain a spectator from now on.

Once again, he sat astride Snowflake for another run. She shook her head and snorted in anticipation, and his own heart raised its beats to keep up with the adrenaline rushing through his veins. The gong sounded and Snowflake lurched forward.

The sound of the crowd faded into his consciousness. Snowflake's hooves striking the ground beat a tempo matched by his own breath. In slow motion, he raised his lance and pointed it at his opponent. The two men raced towards each other, both intent on unseating the other.

WHAT was he doing? The Doctor pulled back at the last second, raising his lance and sitting back on Snowflake. His hands shaking, he realized that in the heat of the moment, he could have seriously injured the competitor on the other side of the rail. He took off his helmet, and the sounds of the situation crashed in again on him.

Turning, he saw the other man being helped up from the ground.

"What?" He said in confusion.

Joshua came running over to him, his face glowing with pride.

"Excellent move, sir. He never saw it coming!"

"What?" The Doctor repeated.

"Sir, when you pulled back, he reached out for you and lost his balance! You won the run, sir!"

The blood drained out of the Doctor's face. "You mean I have to do this again?"

"Just one more time, sir. One way or another, just one more time."

The announced called for a break for the participants to ready themselves for the final run. The Doctor just sat on Snowflake's back, at the end of the run, not moving.

"Sir? Do you want to come back to the tent?" Joshua asked.

"Joshua, get a message to the Princess. Tell her I want to see her. NOW." He ordered.

He watched as the boy ran to the stands, jumping up and down to get the Princess's attention. He saw her get up and wave her attendants back down, and gingerly make her way across the field over to him. He would end this. Now.

"It's rude to be on an equine beast when addressing royalty," she said.

"Because you have to look up to me?"

"Because the thing may piss on me." She responded.

His mood once again restored, he jumped off the back of Snowflake and taking the Princess's arm, led her away out of imminent danger.

"Princess," he began.

"Doctor, you are so marvelous! I am a convert – you have shown me that I have been in error."

"What?" His intended speech left him with the confusion of her words. "What error?"

"My error in judging a man by his appearance. You were right – a man's size doesn't matter when measuring his skill or his heart. You have my eternal gratitude."

"I'm glad you're learned that, Princess."

She started walking back towards the stands, and called over her shoulder "as soon as you win that crystal for me, then I'll be able to give you your reward and I'll formally acknowledge your lesson."

Once again, he stood there, wondering what just happened.

Oh, she was good.

…………………………………………………………………..

For the final time, he hoped in forever, the Doctor mounted Snowflake. Somehow he would have to get through this last run and depart this planet.

The sun was setting now, the evening dusk finally being the conquering blow to the heat of the sun. The crowd was murmuring in anticipation of the entire day of competition being decided by this final match. The Doctor, the lead negotiator, the one who helped to save them all the night before, was competing for the Princess. It was romantic, it was barbaric and it was exciting!

Pranis, who had been notably absent these past several hours, appeared at his side. Looking down, it was obvious what Pranis had been doing, and who he had been doing it with by the look on the girls that were accompanying him.

His helmet was seated and his lance in place. Pranis was saying something, and the Doctor leaned over a bit to try to catch his words. At that moment, the gong sounded, and Pranis reached up and slapped Snowflake on the flank.

Snowflake really didn't need any encouragement to begin her run, and that slap angered her. The Doctor felt a difference in her gait, and without realizing it, gripped some of her mane with the reins, tugging on her hair. Now she was really mad.

As they were approaching the halfway point, the Doctor was doing all he could to deal with the infuriated equine beast. As he leaned forward to try to pat her neck, the tip of the lance pointed down, brushing against her front shoulder.

She had had enough. She dug in her back legs, and reared up, a magnificent spectacle if you were on the ground witnessing it. To the Doctor, however, all he could do was to hold on for all he was worth.

To the equine beast and rider that was approaching them, the sight was terrifying. Snowflake looked like she would tear them apart with her front hooves. The rider lurched to the side, throwing his own equine beast off balance, and both of them toppled over, landing with a crash in the dirt.

Snowflake's hooves went back to the ground, and the Doctor ripped off his helmed and started talking to her in soothing tones, stroking her neck. She stood still, her bearing relaxing with the release of her fury.

Sensing that the crisis was over, the Doctor dropped his lance and slid off the equine beast, gratefully reaching contact with the ground. He walked to the front of her, talking to her. He rested his forehead on her nose, and reached as far around her neck as his arms could. "Thank you, Snowflake. Thank you."

She snorted in response, pushing him away so she could snuffle in the dirt for bits of grass.

The Doctor turned around, and the silence erupted once again into a shock wave of sound. Joshua ran up to him, jumping up and down, lurching against him to throw his arms around his neck.

"I knew you could do it! I just knew it!" He screamed.

The Doctor hugged him back, relief beginning to creep into his mind. He stepped back and started looking around.

The rider and equine beast were being helped up, both of them miraculously none the worse for wear. Pranis and the girls were hurrying to his side, his grin lighting up his face.

After more congratulations, the Doctor heard his name being called for the award ceremony.

"Help me take this stuff off, Joshua, will you?" He asked his young squire.

The Doctor walked up to the front wearing his familiar suit and trainers. The Princess was waiting for him, the Minister of the Chrysoberyl Cluster to one side and Chancellor Shue to the other.

The Princess said: "You have brought honor to us, Doctor! We have many things to thank you for and will be telling the story of your time with us for many days."

The Minister of the Chrysoberyl Cluster stepped forward. "Sir, we thank you for your sportsmanship in our contest. We would like to commemorate your win with this award, mined from our planet."

The crystal that he had seen the day before was presented to him, nestled safely in its box. The Doctor accepted it, and flipped the lid open, admiring the beauty of the stone for a moment, before closing it again and handing it to the Princess.

"Princess Chalandra Auromarinase Debelial Altase Lamentas of the Water Nebula," He used her full name as she had introduced herself when they first met. "It is with honor that I bequeath this award to you." The Doctor formally said.

"Doctor, your gift is accepted. In return, I have an award for you as well. You have competed today with bravery and skill. You put yourself in danger to represent me, and know that you carry with you my gratitude and my fond regards."

At this, she pulled out of her pocket her handkerchief, and pressed it into his hands.

"What's this?" He asked.

"A Princess needs only to give a token of herself for the gift to be real," Chancellor Shue said softly. "You have been given a great honor, sir."

The Princess approached the Doctor, and he turned his cheek, but she put her hands on his face and this time, very gently touched her lips to his. She said softly so only he could hear "It is time to put away my childish ways. Starting with you."

She then stepped back and curtsied deeply to him. He in turn gave her his best bow-legged bow, and when he straightened, she had already turned and was walking away from him.


	11. New Beginnings

Chapter 11: New Beginnings

The engines of the Tardis melodiously sprang to life, signaling the end of their stay on the Water Nebula.

The Doctor had used some of his skills to heal his bruises and muscles and was feeling more of his old self. In fact, he felt better than he had in over a year.

Pranis came into the control room, drinking water and holding his head.

"That wick nectar is going to kill you." The Doctor said.

"Maybe…but please tell me…were the girls pretty at least?"

"Well….in their own way. Perhaps…..they were ok. Maybe……..if you like blue people. No. They weren't pretty. Maybe one was. Kinda." He finally let his voice trail off, not seeing a graceful way out of his blunder.

"Then perhaps it was best that I don't remember it." Pranis said.

"Do me a favor…lock up the rest of that stuff."

"It's gone. I traded it to Chancellor Shue."

"What did you get?"

"I don't know…he said it was something from the Princess."

"Probably an old shoe" the Doctor grumbled.

Pranis retrieved the box that the Chancellor had given him when they were leaving. Inside was a note. "Oh – it's for my mother!" He exclaimed.

"There you go. What is it?" The Doctor's curiosity had raised its head.

Rummaging in the box, Pranis pulled out a beautiful plate, its artwork depicting the water nebula from space. He held it up so the Doctor could see it.

"That a surprisingly – mature- gift!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"Mother will love it. You know, that was actually pretty thoughtful of her."

"Maybe there's more to her than we thought there was?"

The two men looked at each other for a moment, then together, said

"Nah."

They laughed.

………………………………………………………………….

Once they settled down into the trip, the Doctor brought up the subject that he wanted to talk about.

"Pranis, you told me when we met that your mother wanted you to get a more practical education in diplomacy and negotiation, right?"

"Her exact words!" He replied.

"I was thinking. Would you like to travel with me for a bit? Just hang out, visiting different worlds, seeing what makes them tick. Are you game?"

"For how long?" Pranis asked.

"For as long as you want to, or as long as we can stand each other. Whatever, keep it loose." The Doctor found that his breath was held a bit, waiting for his answer. Wanting it to be yes.

"Hey, that would be great! Can I get word to my parents?"

"We'll pop in there next. Welcome aboard!"

"Do I get my own screwdriver?" Pranis asked.

"Don't push it."

**A/N** - Pranis spent five years traveling with the Doctor, honing his diplomacy and negotiation skills. At that time, he returned to Parakemble to take his place within the ministry as an elder, working beside his father for his people.

The Doctor and Pranis met again, about 100 years later. Pranis by then is Lead Elder, and the Doctor travels to Parakemble to answer his call for help.

Please check out "Broken Hearts Still Beat" in my profile. It's novel length and you'll see much more of Pranis and get to visit his beautiful planet.


End file.
